Machine for treating fabrics



y 1965 L. POLAKOFF MACHINE FOR TREATING FABRICS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJuly 23, 1963 INVENTOR. LOUIS POLAKOF F July 20, 1965 POLAKOFF 3,195,216

MACHINE FOR TREATING FABRICS Filed July 23, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. s LOUIS POLAKOFF ATTO RNEYS United States Patent 3,195,2l6MACHHNE EUR TREATENG FAlildlCS Louis Polalroif, 82 Stanley Road, Wuhan,Mass. Filed July 23, 1953, Ser. No. 297,020 11 Claims. (Cl. 28-18) Thisinvention relates to the manufacture of fabrics and more particularlycomprises a new and improved machine for forming fringes in the edges offabrics, after the fabrics are woven.

One important object of this invention is to provide a relativelyinexpensive machine for removing threads running in one direction fromthe edge of a fabric so as to form fringes with the threads running inthe other direction at the edge, without mutilating or otherwiseadversely affecting the previously woven cloth.

Another important object of this invention to to provide a machinecapable of removing threads from the edges of the finest and mostdelicate of fabrics without adversely effecting them in any way.

Still another important object of this invention is to provide afringing machine which may be controlled either manually orautomatically and which is capable of handling fabrics made of virtuallyall weights of thread.

To accomplish these and other objects the fringing machine of thisinvention includes among its features a frame about which is organized aclamp for holding the cloth to be treated, a circularly moving comb forpicking off the threads at the edge of the cloth held by the clamp, anda mechanism for moving the cloth at the desired speed to feed the edgeof the cloth into the path of the circularly moving comb so that one ora few threads may be picked from the cloth during each revolution. Theframe also carries the drive means for the comb, which causes it to movein the circular path.

These and other objects and features of this invention along with itsincident advantages will be better understood and appreciated from thefollowing detailed description of one embodiment thereof, selected forpurposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings, causesit to move in the circular path. in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fringing machine constructed inaccordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the machine shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the clamp of the machine;and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are fragmentary views showing details of the drive meansfor the comb.

The fringing machine shown in the drawings includes in its generalorganization a frame 1% on which are supported a clamp 12, a clampactuating mechanism 14, a comb 16 and a comb drive means 18. Each ofthese major parts of the device is described in detail below.

The frame It) is composed of a pair of side rails Zil conveniently madeof angle iron stock connected together by a platform 2?; at the left endas viewed in FIG. 1 and a pair of ties 24 and 26 adjacent the center andother .end of the rails, respectively.

The clamp 12 and the clamp actuating mechanism 14 are mounted on theplatform 22. In FIGS. 1 and 4 a plate 28 is shown screwed, welded orotherwise secured to the upper surface of the platform 22, and the plate28 carries at its front end a downwardly extending panel 3% on which ismounted screw shaft 32 forming part of the actuating mechanism 14 of theclamp. A crank handle 34 is secured to the end of the shaft whichextends through the panel 36.

An inverted channel member 36 is slidably supported "ice above the plate28 with its flanges 33 in sliding engagement with the edges of the plate23. The channel 36 carries a downwardly extending guide 4t that passesthrough a slot 42 provided in the plate 28 and platform 22, and theguide 4% is provided with a threaded opening 44 adjacent its lower endthrough which-the screw shaft 32 extends. As the shaft 32 rotates itacts upon the guide ill by virtue of the registration of the shaftthreads with the threads of the opening 44 to move the channel 36 backand forth over the plate 28.

Rigidly secured to the upper surface of the channel 36 is a grate 46carried in a frame 43, which forms part of the clamp 12. The grate 4c iscomposed of a number of pimple-like protuberances on its mesh surface togrip fabric pressed firmly against it. A rubber coated plate 5%) carriedon the pivotally supported arm 52 of the clamp serves to press fabricagainst the grate while being treated by the machine. The arm 52 ispivotally supported at one end on post 54 which in turn is connected tothe frame 4% by plate 56 and inner post 58. The other end of the arm 5?.releasably locks to the upper end of post 69 on the other side of theframe it} by means of pin 62. The post 60 is connected to the gratingframe 48 by means of a second horizontal plate 64 and second inner post66. This arrangement is clearly shown in FIGS. 1

and 4.

The grating frame 48 is formed with a series of parallel teeth 68 thatdefine slots '70 bearing a special relationship to the comb 16 describedin detail below. A matching set of teeth 72 is formed on the rubbercoated clamping plate 50, and the slots between the teeth 72 align withthe slots 7% between the teeth 68 when the grate and rubber coated plate59 lie in face to face relationship.

To secure cloth in place ready for treatment by the comb 16, the arm 52is raised to the position shown in FIG. 4 by pulling the pin 62 from theopenings in the post 69 and the end of the arm. The cloth is then placedover the grate 56 with the edge to be fringed lying above the teeth 68on the grate frame 48. The arm 52 is then returned to the position shownin FIG. 1 and the pin 62 is inserted through the openings to lock thearm in place. The rubber coated plate 5% and the grate 46 cooperate tohold the cloth firmly in place without marring it. The compressiveforces on the fabric applied by the rubber coated plate 5% and the grateare sufficient to resist movement even when the comb 16 pulls threadsfrom the edge which lies between the rows of teeth 68 and 72.

The comb 16 includes a holder '74 which carries a number of needles orneedle-like fingers '76 which preferably equal in number the slots '76defined by the teeth 68 and which are adapted to move in a generallycircular path. The needles '76 are preferably linearly arranged in a rowas illustrated in MG. 1. Preferably they are oriented in a planegenerally normal to the plane assumed by the cloth C when held by theclamp or clamping member 12. Thus the needles 76 are designed to enterthe edge of the cloth disposed between the teeth 68 and 72 along a lineparallel to and behind transverse threads which are to be drawn from thecloth and pull these threads which run across those teeth from thecloth, while not disturbing those threads which run in a directionparallel to the teeth. The needles are made of steel or other materialsufficiently strong to withstand the sheering forces applied to them andare capable of being sharpened to a point fine enough so that they donot mutilate the cloth.

The needle holder 74 is carried on the end of a slide 7t? provided withan elongated slot over a major portion of its length through which pins32 extend and guide the movement of the slide '78. The pins 32 arecarried by a block 84 provided with a slot for the slide '78, and theblock in turn is carried on a pivotally supported arm 8d. The arm $6 ispivotally supported on a shaft 88 which extends across the frame betweenthe angles 28. In FIGS. 1 and 3 it will be noted that a table 96 whichsupports a major part of the drive means 18 for the comb sits on thecross members 24 and 26, and the table hi) also supports the posts 92that carry the shaft 88.

From'the preceding description and the showing of FIGS. 5 and 6, it isevident that two separate motions may be introduced to the comb 1e;namely, pivotal motion (generally upwardly and downwardly) by movementof the arm as on shaft 88, and translational motion (generally back andforth) by movement of the slide 78 in the block 84 carried on the arm86. Both of these motions are introduced to the comb 16 by the 'drivemeans 18 supported on the table $0.

The drive means includes a motor 94 mounted on the table 90 above thecross member 26, which through a belt 96 turns fiy wheel 8. A shaft 10%supported on bearings 102 physically carries and rotates with the fiy.

wheel 98 and also carries a pair of actuators for the two motionsimparted to the comb 16.

The pivotal motion of the arm 86 mounted on the shaft 88 is controlledby a pair of radius levers 162 and 104 each secured at one end to ashaft 166 mounted on bearings 108 supported on the table 99. The radiuslevers 1132 and 104- are fixed to the shaft 106 and move with it. Theother end-of radius lever 1% is secured to the end of arm 86. The shaft106 is biased to a counter-clockwise position as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 5by a spring 1110 secured at one end intermediate the ends of the lever102 and at the other end to the table 9%. The spring 110 acts in tensionto pivot the lever 1192 counter-clockwise as viewed in the drawings andin turn pivots the other lever 104 counter-clockwise so that its endconnected to the end of the arm 86 urges that arm in aclockwisedirection. Consequently the end of the arm 86 which supportsthe block 84 moves downwardly as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 5. This chain ofmechanical connections is clearly illustrated in FIG. 5 wherein thebiased position is shown in full lines. bias of the spring 11% to rotatethe shaft 106 clockwise, the lever 104 lowers the left end of the arm 86and causes its other end to rise as suggested in th broken lines in FIG.5.

Actuation of the lever 1112 against the bias of spring 110 is achievedby cam 112 carried on the end of arm 114 in turn carried on the shaft100. As the shaft 100 rotates counter-clockwise as viewed in FIGS. 2 and5, the cam 112 once during'each revolution engages the free end of thelever 192 and moves it against the bias of the spring 116 to pivot thearm 86 from the position shown in full lines to that shown in brokenlines in FIG. 5.

The motion of the slides 78 illustrated in FIG. 6 is achieved by meansof a crank 116 composed of a connecting rod 118 and wheel 120.' Thewheel 120 is secured to and rotates with the shaft 1110, and theconnect? ing rod 118 is connected at one end to the periphery of theWheel 120 and at the other end to the left end of the slide 78 as viewedin FIGS. 2 and 6. As the wheel 120 rotates counter-clockwise with theshaft 100 the rod 118 moves the slide '78 from the position shown infull lines to that shown in broken lines and then returns it to theposition shown in full lines once during each revolution,

of the shaft 100.

In FIG. 2 the resulting path of motion imparted to the combs 16 issuggested by the arrow 122. It will be noted that the circular pathtraced by the comb causes the comb to move forward and downward, andrearward and upward, with the needles 76 passing through the slots 70defined by the teeth 68. Thus from the position shown in FIG. 2 the comb16 moves forward and down so that the needles '76 pass between the teethand subsequently the needles move rearwardly away from the clamp 12.

From the foregoing description of the several parts of the.machine, itsoperation should be apparent. In.

When the lever 102 is moved against the 41. FIG. 3 a piece of cloth C isshown clamped between the grate 46 and the rubber coated plate 50. Theforward edge E of the cloth which edge is to be fringed lies between theteeth 68 and 72 of' the grate frame 48 and the rubber coated plate 50,respectively. The positionof the clamp (and the cloth) may be adjustedby turning the handle 34 which rotates the screw shaft 32. The operatormay manually adjust the position of the clamp so that the cloth C is inaposition wherein needles '76 of the comb will pick off the first oroutermost thread which traverses the clamp between the fingers 68 and72. When the motor 94 is placed in operation the fly wheel 98driven-directly by. the motor rotates the shaft 100 causing the twomotions to be imparted to the comb, and the. comb follows the pathsuggested by the arrows 122. With rotation of the comb the outermosttransverse thread of the cloth will be picked off, and by slowly movingthe cloth in' the direction of the, comb, additional transverse threadsmay. be picked off one at a time. The distance the clamp 12 is moved byits actuating device 14- with each revolution of the comb 16 will ofcourse be determined by the weight of the threads which comprise thecloth. With heavier threads the cloth should be moved a greater amountwith each revolution of the comb, and with fabrics made of lighterthread each step movement of the clamp should be some lesser amount.When'the machine is operated manually the operator continuesto feed thecloth toward the comb by rotating the handle 34 until the fringeresulting from the removal of the transverse threadsis of the desiredlength. When the desired length is achieved the operator need onlyreverse the direction of rotation of the handle 34 to back off the clothfrom the comb.

While in the preceding description the clam 12 is described as beingmoved manually independent of the drive means 18 of the comb, itwill beappreciated that rotation of the screw shaft-32 may be'keyed to rotationof the shaft 100 so that the cloth is fed automaticallytoward the comb16 as each successive transverse thread is picked off. Byusing a singleinput for rotation of the shafts 32 and 100 operation of the separateparts may be readily synchronized. This is suggested in FIG. 3 whereinthe shafts 32 and 100 are shown to be mechanically linked through a gearbox 101 so that each of the shafts is driven through the fly wheel bymotor 94. t

From the foregoing description it will be appreciated thatwith'themachine of this invention, even delicate fabrics can be fringedwithout becoming stretched, frayed or otherwise mutilated. The.relatively simple machine may easily be serviced, and its minimum numberof parts will give-long trouble-free service. The machine is relativelysmall (limited primarily by the fabric size) and requires little powerfor its operation.

Because numerous modifications of this invention will occur to thosepossessing ordinary skill in the art, it is not intended that the.breadth of this invention be limited to the specific embodimentillustrated and described. Rather, it is intended that the scope of thisinvention be determined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is: 1. A'fringing machine comprising a frame, a clampingmember secured to and movable on the frame, said clamping member beingprovided to hold a cloth to be fringed by the .machine,

a comb having a plurality of needles linearly arranged in a row andoriented generally normal to the plane assumed by the cloth held by theclamping member, means supporting said comb and needles for insertioninto thecloth along a line parallel to and behind transverse threads tobe drawn from the cloth,

and drive means secured to the frame and carrying the comb for movingthe comb through a repetitive cycle wherein the comb needles aresimultaneously inserted behind and draw from the cloth held by theclamping member the transverse threads.

2. A fringing machine as defined in claim 1 further characterized by,

actuating means secured to the clamping member for moving the clothtoward the comb whereby successive transverse threads are reached by thecomb as it continuously recycles.

3. A fringing machine comprising a frame,

a clamp mounted on the frame for holding cloth to be fringed with theedge to be fringed exposed in the clamp,

a comb mounted on the frame and having a plurality of needles orientedgenerally normal to the plane of the cloth exposed in the clamp,

drive means connected to the comb for moving it in a generally circularpath with the needles passing into the exposed portion of the cloth andthen moving away from the cloth whereby transverse threads engaged bythe comb needles are pulled from the cloth,

and means connected to the clamp for moving it relative to the circularpath of the comb.

4. A fringing machine comprising a frame,

a comb having a plurality of needles secured therean arm pivotallymounted on the frame and a slide movably mounted on the arm and carryingthe comb,

drive means mounted on the frame and secured to the arm and slide forrocking the arm and moving the slide causing the comb to move in agenerally circular path about a horizontal axis above the frame,

and clamping means mounted on the frame for holding cloth to be fringedwith the edge to be fringed intersected by the path traveled by the combwhen moved by the drive means whereby the needles of the comb pass intothe edge of the cloth and pull from it transverse threads.

5. A fringing machine as defined in claim 4 further characterized bysaid clamping means including a plurality of teeth supporting the edgeof the cloth to be fringed and said teeth defining slots through whichthe needles of the comb extend and engage transverse threads in thecloth edge.

6. A fringing machine as defined in claim 5 further characterized bysaid clamping means including a stiff grate and a yieldable platebetween which the cloth is grasped.

7. A fringing machine as defined in claim 6 further characterized byactuating means secured to the frame and the clamping means for movingthe cloth progressively toward the circular path of the comb whereby theneedles of the comb may be made to pass further into the edge of thecloth behind successive trans verse threads.

v8. A fringing machine as defined in claim 4 further characterized bysaid drive means including a motor driven rotating shaft,

a rotating wheel carried by the shaft,

a connecting rod secured to the periphery of the wheel and the slide forreciprocating the slide on the arm,

a pair of radius levers pivotally mounted on the frame, one of saidlevers being connected to the arm for pivoting the arm when the levermoves,

and a cam carried on the shaft and engaging the other of radius leverscausing the one of the levers to pivot the arm.

9. A fringing machine comprising a frame,

means including a comb mounted on the frame and having a plurality ofneedle-like fingers which move in a generally circular path,

means including a clamp mounted on the frame for holding cloth to befringed in the path of movement of the needles and with the transversethreads of the cloth disposed parallel to the axis of rotation of theneedles whereby the needles pick off transverse threads,

and means for moving the clamp with the cloth and the comb path towardand away from each other.

10. A fringing machine comprising a frame,

means including a comb mounted on the frame and having a plurality ofneedle-like fingers which move along paths in parallel planes,

means including a clamp mounted on the frame for holding cloth to befringednormal to the parallel planes and intersecting the path wherebythreads of the cloth lying transverse of the planes are engaged by andmove from the cloth with the needles,

and means for moving the clamp with the cloth and the comb path towardand away from each other.

11. A fringing machine as defined in claim 2 further characterized bymeans mechanically connecting the actuating means and the drive meansfor automatically synchronizing movement of the comb and the clampingmember.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 184,637 11/76Lincoln 28-18 DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner,

1. A FRINGING MACHINE COMPRISING A FRAME, A CLAMPING MEMBER SECURED TOAND MOVABLE ON THE FRAME, SAID CLAMPING MEMBER BEING PROVIDED TO HOLD ACLOTH TO BE FRINGED BY THE MACHINE, A COMB HAVING A PLURALITY OF NEEDLESLINEARLY ARRANGED IN A ROW AND ORIENTED GENERALLY NORMAL TO THE PLANEASSUMED BY THE CLOTH HELD BY THE CLAMPING MEMBER, MEANS SUPPORTING SAIDCOMB AND NEEDLES FOR INSERTION INTO THE CLOTH ALONG A LINE PARALLEL TOAND BEHIND TRANSVERSE THREADS TO BE DRAWN FROM THE CLOTH, AND DRIVEMEANS SECURED TO THE FRAME AND CARRYING THE COMB FOR MOVING THE COMBTHROUGH A REPETITIVE CYCLE WHEREIN THE COMB NEEDLES ARE SIMULTANEOUSLYINSERTED BEHIND AND DRAW FROM THE CLOTH HELD BY THE CLAMPING MEMBER THETRANSVERSE THREADS.